Padlock



L. PALMER May 18, 1954 PADLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 50, 1952 L..PALMER 2,678,554

PADLocK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 18, 1954 Filed June 30, 1952 ATTORNEYPatented May 18g, 1954 UNITED r#Pi-Afl'ENT :OFFICE PADLOCK Luther PalmenHayfork;L Calif.

Application .June @30, 1952, VSerial No. A 296,304

(Cl. 'I0-38) This..invention. relatesV to a novel padlock 'of.-.extremelysimple. construction capable of. ,being .economicallymanufactured and `which will be ,-.paiticlarly durable and. eicient. inuse.

..More particularly, .itisan aimv of. the inven- Ltionitoprovidea.padlockwherein both legs of the .shackle are .engaged .to holdthe shackle: in

` springs for each of the 'shackle retaining bolts .thereof therebyminimizing the tension 'required .on and the loading of each ofthesprings to'thus .materially increase the.' life. of 'the 'springs 'andpf. the. padlock.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention willV hereinafteroecomemoreapparent lfrometheliollowing description f the drawings,.illustrating a presently `preferred.embodiment Mthereof, .and wherein:Y

."Figure 1 is an elevational view looking :toward .thejiront side,ofitherpadlock and showing the .padlocklin a closed or lockedposition;p

Figure 2 is an. edge elevational. 'view."thereof looking from .left l.toright of Figure 1;

.'Eigure 3 is an enlarged sectional .View 'taken substantially along aplane .as ndicatedf'by'the '..line' l3--.3 of Figure" 2..showing` theinternal parts fof4 the padlock inside elevation; 4

.`Figure' 4 is a view -similar to"`Figure 43 but "showing other oftheparts in: section "and showing thel-padlockin an open'orunlockedposition;

,Figure 5Lis a horizontal sectional View through the padlock takensubstantiallyalonga lplaney as indicated by the .line' 5 5 ofFigure 4;

Figurel is a longitudinal sectional viewo'fithe padlock takensubstantially al'onga plane as indicatedgby the line B`G of Figure 3,and

'liFigure '7 is a "fragmentary longitudinal nsectional view .takenvsubstantially along a 'plane 'as indicated .by the .line 'I-'Izof'Figurc3.

L'Referring more specifically to the drawings, the novel :padlock in.its `entirety is vdesignated 1generally8 .and includes a case,ldesignated genw fienallyna havinga'lfront1cover. plate I0 which ispermanently secured thereto by suitable fastenvingmeans II and which isprovided with a-key receiving opening I2. `A pin I3is nxed to andprojects.fromtheinnersideof a rear wall .I4 of the .case @and isdisposed centrally with respect tothe ends and sides `of the keyhole I2.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, thecaseQ .isprovided in'its .interiorchamberor cavity I5 with. a .longitudinally `extending partition -IGwhich is disposed'substantially.parallel to` and adjacent a side wall I'Iofthe case 9. Two transverse. partitions I8- extend between thesidewall I? and partition I6. and are disposednearer the `inner endwall I9.than-the outer r.endwall-ZI) .the .outer endwalll and the partition 1.8,advjacent thereto.

.An expansion coil spring` 25 is .disposed on the shackle leg,22.-between. the pin 24. and its terminal, one end of said spring25Y.hearing against.the end-wall 20 and the other '.end thereofbearingagainstthepin 2li forurg- .ing the shackle'ZI to an open,projected position,

as illustrated in Figure 4. The Ypin 24 also'iunctions as a stopforlimiting movement of the shackle to a projected-position byengagement `with the *lastV mentionedpartition I8, as` illustratedin'Figure 4. ,A short'stern 125 maybe. Xed

to the inner side .of theend .wall 20 tot into the end of the spring `25which engages saidend wall to hold thespring in axial lalignment withthe shackle leg 22.

`The chamber I5 contains two spaced .substantially .parallel partitions21 and 28 which extend a'short distance from the inner end wall ISandwhich are `disposed `nearer the opposite side wall A shackle retainingbolt 29 extends slidably through and is. guided in thepartitions 21 and28 and has a free end Sdadapted to seat in .an opening. or recess. 3| ofthe short shackle leg 23 to retain the terminal portion of saidshackleleg in a 'closed or .locking position within the case 9, .as'illustratedinl Figure. 3. 'Said end 3H voi' the bolt 29 is rounded on its upperside to form a cam surface for coaction with abeveled. surface 32 oftheshacklevleg 23 whereby'as the shackle leg 23 is moved into the case 9through an opening v33 in the end w'all""'If-J, the cam surface 32 willengage the rounded end or cam surface to retract the bolt 29 so that theopening or recess 3| may assume a position to receive the bolt end 30when said bolt is again moved to a projected position, as illustrated inFigure 3. The bolt 29 has a head 34 disposed to abut the partition '21to limit movement of the bolt 29 toward a projected position. A stemprojects from the head 34 away from the bolt 29 and toward the partitionI5 to provide a support for one end of an expansion coil spring 35 whichis mounted thereon and abuts against the head 34 and the opposite end ofwhich seats against the partition I6 around a spring support 31 whichprojects from said partition,

A second bolt 38, which corresponds structurally to the bolt 29 butwhich is preferably somewhat longer than said bolt 29, extends through apartition 39 which is disposed between a portion of the partition I6 andthe side wall I la and through the partition I6 into the space betweenthe par titions I8, so that the end 96a of the bolt 38 when in aprojected position can engage an opening of the shackle leg 22 when saidshackle is in a closed position. A boit head 34a on the opposite end ofthe bolt 33 abuts the partition 39 to limit movement of the bolt 39toward a proe jected position. A stem 35a extends from the head 34atoward the wall I'Ia to support one end of an expansion coil spring 35awhich abuts the head 34a and the opposite end of which abuts a portionof the wall I'Ia and is disposed around and supported by a projection31a, fixed to the inner side of said wall. Thus, the bolts 29 and 30aare projected by the springs 35 and 36a, respectively, in oppositedirections toward projected positions for engaging the openings 3I and40 to retain both legs of the shackle 2I in a locked position in thecase 9.

A pin 4I is fixed to the rear wall I4 and projects into the chamber I5adjacent the longitudinal partition I6. A lever 42 is supported turnablyon the pin 4I intermediate of its ends and is disposed between a spacingblock 43, through which said pin 4I extends, and a retaining washer f44, secured on the pin 4I The spacing block 43 is disposed against theinner side of the rear wall I4. The lever 42 has an end portion 45projecting from the intermediate portion thereof which engages the pin 4I, toward the bolt 33 and which is provided with a right angularlyturned terminal portion 46 which extends toward the front wall I0 andloosely engages in a notch 41 in the intermediate portion of the bolt38. The

lever 42 has an elongated shank 43 extending in the opposite directionfrom its intermediate portion and which is provided with a concavelyarced longitudinal. edge 49 which faces toward the pin I3. A pull spring5I) has one end connected to a terminal portion of the lever end 48 andis anchored by an eye 5I at its opposite end to the side wall Il'a forurging the lever 42 to swing countercloclrwise about the pivot 4 I, asseen in Figures 3 and 4, for urging the retaining bolt 38 to the left ortoward a projected position in engagement with the leg opening 40. Abolt actuating lever 52 is swingably mounted intermediate of its ends inthe cavity I5 on a pin 53 which is xed to and projects inwardly from therear wall I4 which is disposed between the outer end wall 20 and thebolt stem 35a, and adjacent the latter. The pin 53 extends through aplurality of spacing blocks 54 and 54a which are disposed between thelever 52 and the rear wall I4. Said spacing blocks are also engaged by apin 55 which may loosely fit the uppermost spacing block 54a to allow alimited swinging movement thereof from its position of Figure 3 towardthe side wall IIa. The lever 52 has an end 56 extending from its pivot53 toward the bolt 29 and which has a laterally extending terminal 5Twhich projects toward the rear wall I4 and loosely fits a notch 58 ofthe bolt 29. The lever 52 is held between the spacing block 54a and thefront wall I0 by a retaining washer 59 which is mounted on the pivot pin53. The other longer end 60 of the lever 52 extends from the pin 53toward the end wall 20 and has a concavely arced inner longitudinal edge5| which faces the pin I3 and the inner edge 49 of the lever end 4B. Thelever end 56 is disposed between the front wall I0 and the spring 36aand the lever end 60 is disposed between said front wall I0 and the pullspring 50. A pull spring 62 is anchored at one end to the partition I8through an aperture 63 therein and is connected at its opposite end tothe terminal portion of the lever end 60 for urging the lever 52 toswing on its pivot 53 clockwise as seen in Figures 3 and 4 for urgingthe bolt 29 toward a projected position and in engagement with theshackle leg opening 3I. The adjacent edges 49 and 6I are disposed closertogether than the adjacent edges of the spacing blocks 43 and 54 and54a. The rear wall I4 is provided with a ridge 64 on which a portion ofthe lever end 45 rests and slides.

A key 65 has a tubular stem portion 69 which fits over the pin I3 and isrotatably disposed thereon and is provided with bits G1 and 68projecting in opposite directions from the stem 56. The bit B1 isprovided with a notch or recess portion E9 for accommodating the inneredge 6I of the lever end 60 and the inner edge of the spacing block 54a,and the bit 68 is provided `with a smaller notch 'I0 for spacing the bit68 from the spacing block 43.

Assuming that the padlock 8 is in a closed or locked position asillustrated in Figure 3, the key stern and bits are inserted through theopening I2 into the case 9 with the stem 66 fitting `over the pin I 3and the bit 68 being disposed adjacent the end wall 20. The key is thenturned clockwise, as seen in Figure 4, so that the notch 69 of the bit61 will first engage the lever edge 6I to swing the lever 52counterclockwise on its pivot 53 to retract the bolt 29 to the left outof engagement with the shackle leg 23. The bit BB thereafter engages thelever edge 49 to swing the lever 42 clockwise on its pivot 4I to retractthe bolt 38 out of engagement with the shackle leg opening 40, whereuponthe loaded spring 25 projects the shackle 2| away from the case 9 toitsopen full line position of Figure 4, in which the shackle 2| may beswung about the leg 22 as an axis to its dotted line position of Figure4. This movement of the levers 42 and 52 and the bolts 29 and 38 loadsthe lever springs 50 and 62 and the bolt springs 36 and 36a.Accordingly, when the key is turned in the opposite direction tore-align the bits El and S8 with the opening I2. the bolt 29 will returnto a projected position and the lever 52 will be returned by the spring62 to its position of Figure 3. However, the bolt end 30a will remain inengagement with the shackle leg 22 so that said bolt and its actuat inglever 42 will still be retained substantially in their positions ofFigure 4. When the shackle 2| is thereafter swung back to its full lineposition of Figure 4 and displaced toward the case 9,.the leg 22 willslide inwardly of the case and `the legfiwillislide through v.thevcase,opening so that engagement ,ofthe cam surfaces. 32 and 30, aspreviouslydescribed, will retract'the bolt 29 and'-re't'urn the lever52-toits positionfofligtheir positions'of'Figure 3 by the combinedaction of thesprings 36a and 50 so that both bolts Will'beidisposed inprojectedpositions to ,.retain Y`the shack1e2l "in"a"closed"`orlockedposition.

It will thus be readily apparent that the bolt 29 and lever 52 willfunction should either the spring 36 or 62 break and the bolt 38 andlever 42 will likewise function as previously described should eitherthe spring 35a or 50 break.

Various modications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope oi the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A padlock of the character described comprising a case, a shacklehaving a shorter leg and a longer leg, said longer shackle leg beingslidably and nondetachably mounted in said case, said shorter leg beingslidably movable into one end of said case and outwardly thereof fordisengaging the shorter shackle leg from the case when the lock is in anopen or unlocked position, said shackle legs each being provided with abolt receiving recess, a pair of bolts reciprocably mounted in said casetransversely of the shackle legs, bolt springs individual to said boltsfor urging the bolts in opposite directions toward projected positionsin engagement with the shackle leg recesses for latching both of theshackle legs within the case, a pair of bolt actuating levers individualto said bolts pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends in the caseand having complementary bolt engaging terminal portions, said boltshaving notches loosely engaged by said terminal portions, said levershaving opposite complementary ends laterally spa-ced relatively to oneanother and disposed on the opposite sides of the lever pivots to therst mentioned lever ends, said last mentioned lever ends forming keyengaging portions and defining a key receiving space therebetween, saidkey engaging lever ends being adapted to be swung away from one anotherby the turning movement of a key disposed in the key receiving space forrocking the levers in opposite directions to move the bolts in oppositedirections toward retracted positions out oi engagement with the keeperrecesses of the shackle legs whereby the shackle is released formovement outwardly of the case to an unlocked open position, and pullsprings individual to the levers, said pull springs being anchored totheoase and connected with the last mentioned lever ends for urging saidlevers to swing in opposite directions for displacing the bolts towardprojected positions, each of said bolts and thelever engaged therebybeing actuated by the respec tive bolt spring and pull spring, and eachof said springs being capable or" moving the bolt to a projectedposition and rocking the lever engaging said bolt to a position to beactuated by the key.

2. A padlock of the character described com .iprisingraffcasa sair-shackle. havingraf'shortendes and .a longer i les 'said-glongerrshackle lega 1being slidably and -nondetachablyrmountedzinsaidnase. said shorterlegbeingxslidably movableg-intosone:endfoffA said case and outwardlyAzthereof'fprsdis- ,engaging .the.shorter Lshackle z legvfrom fthescase :when .the lock is in :anl openor` unlocked position,

said shackle legs each being provided withsa v bolt receiving ,'recess,a-:pair: kof:bolts-reciprocably vmounted, infsaid case`transversely,oigthefshackle legs; bolt :springs individual ito saidbolts :,fzor urging the rbolts in opposite directions toward ,projectedpositions in engagement withsthe shackle ,legs recesses'for ylatchingboth 'births .shacklezlegs withinlthe case, a pair of-bolt actuatinglevers y individual to said'` bolts ,pivote-115V mounted intermediate oftheir ends in the case and having complementary bolt engaging terminalportions, said bolts having notches loosely engaged by said terminalportions, said levers having opposite complementary ends laterallyspaced relatively to one another and disposed on the opposite sides ofthe lever pivots to the i'lrst mentioned lever ends, said last mentionedlever ends forming key engaging portions and dening a key receivingspace therebetween, said key engaging lever ends being adapted to beswung away from one another by the turning movement of a key disposed inthe key receiving space for rocking the levers in opposite directions tomove the bolts in opposite directions toward retracted positions out ofengagement with the keeper recesses of the shackle legs whereby theshackle is released for movement outwardly of the case to an unlockedopen position, and spacing blocks interposed between a wall of the caseand one of said levers for offsetting said lever relatively to the otherlever and to the bolt engaged by said other lever. the bolt spring ofsaid last mentioned bolt being disposed between said case wall and thelever oiset by the spacing blocks.

3. A padlock of the character described comprising a case, a shacklehaving a shorter leg and a longer leg, said longer shackle leg beingslidably and nondetachably mounted in said case, said shorter leg beingslidably movable into one end of said case and outwardly thereof fordisengaging the shorter shackle leg from the case when the lock is in anopen or unlocked position, said shackle legs each being provided with abolt receiving recess, a pair of bolts reciprocably mounted in said casetransversely of the shackle legs, bolt springs individual to said boltsfor urging the bolts in opposite directions toward projected positionsin engagement with the shackle leg recesses for latching both of theshackle legs within the case, a pair of bolt actuating levers individualto said bolts pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends in the caseand having complementary bolt engaging terminal portions, said boltshaving notches loosely engaged by said terminal portions, said levershaving opposite complementary ends laterally spaced relatively to oneanother and disposed on the opposite sides of the lever pivots to therst mentioned lever ends, said last mentioned lever ends forming keyengaging portions and dening a key receiving space therebetween, saidkey engaging lever ends being adapted to be swung away from one anotherby the turning movement oi a key disposed in the key receiving space forrocking the levers in opposite directions to move the bolts in oppositedirections toward retracted positions out of engagement with the keeper7 recesses of the shackle legs whereby the shackle is released formovement outwardly of the case to an unlocked open position, said lastmentioned lever ends having opposed concavely arced longitudinal edgesforming cam surfaces adapted 'to be engaged by bits of the key forrocking the levers in opposite directions to retract the bolts.

4. A padlock as in claim 3, one of said cam edges being disposed nearerthe axis of the key than the other cam edge and being initially actuatedby turning of the key for reti-acting the bolt engaged by said lever outof engagement with the shorter shackle leg before the other lever isactu'A ated by the key to retract the other bolt out oi engagement withthe longer shackle leg.

References Cited in the Ille of this patent Number Number 15 322,529

UNITED STATES PATENTS

